Valve and operating device therefor



M.DEAN

- VALVE AND OPERATING DEVICE THEREFOR Filed Maqph 4, 1926 2 Sheets-Shqet1 Aug. a

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m g/gag @MWL 7 7% M. DEAN VALVE AND OPERATING DEVICE THEREFOR PatentedAug. 30, 1927.

- 3 UNIT D] STATES MARK DEAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALFTO OF CHICAGO; ILLINOIS.

V I 1,640,53? PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL FARRELL.

VALVE AND OPERATING DEVICE THEREFOR.

Application filed March 4, 1926. Serial No. 92,189.

This invention relates to valves and valve operating mechanisms. and inits chief inrelations where intermittently supplied fluid pressure used.7 I

One b ect oftheinvention is to provide a simple, compact 1 andinexpensive appliance of the type above mentioned thatshall be reliableand sensitive andrequire but a small amount of fluid pressure for itsoperation. Other objects are, to provide a simple, im-

proved valve mechanism wherein a single valve member may be used tosimultaneously open the supply port and'close the exhaust port of themotor, and vice .versa, without at any time leaving b oth ports open,thereby avoiding waste of power; to provide an improved valve-actuatingmechanism through which the valve shall be elastically pressed to itsseat so as to take up wear and insure a tightclosure; to provide anelectrically operated valve-shifting mechanism wherein the current isautomatically v cut oif as'soon as the valve is shifted, thus avoidingwaste of current; to provide in the valveshi-fting mechanism anautomatic lock for holding the valve against accidental opening and toprovide a structure the parts of which may be very easily assembled anddisassembled. e

Other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will be apparentto persons skilled. in the art as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description, taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated one practicaland approved embodiment of the principle of the invention, and in which-Fig. 1 is a view of the device partly in front elevation and partly invertical section onthe line 11of Fig. 4; v

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly broken out, omitting the magnetswltch;

Fig; 3' isa side elevationviewed from the right of land 2, showing also21- diaexhaust ducts 17 and 18 respectively.

phragm motor communicating with the valve casing; I,

' Fig. i is a horizontal section on the offset line 4 4 of Fig. 1; Fig.5is a diagrammatic plan view of the thermostat-controlled magnet switch;and

Fig. 6;is an enlarged transverse section on the line -5 of Fig. 1.Referringjto the c ing, inthe preferred form herein shown,- is a tubularcasting comprising a horizontal body 10, a central vertical branch 11,and a short centralhorizontal branch or boss 12. The ends of the body 10are internally tapped to receive threaded plugs 13 and'lt that areformed on their outer ends with reduced internally tapped extensions 15and 16 respectively, one of which, as 15, receives a pipe 15 from aboiler or other source of pressure fluid, and the other of whichreceives an exhaust pipe 16. The plugs '13 and 14 are formed with smallcentral valve controlled passages or ducts 17 and 18 re spectively,both, communicating with the chamber 10 of the hollow valve casing.

The inner ends of the plugs 13 and 14 are hollowed out, as shown, andformed with annular seats 19 and 20in which are tightly fitted centrallyapertured spiders2l and 22 that form supports for a sliding valve 23.This valveconsists ofa straight rod or bar formed with pointed ends 23and 23 thatserve to open and close'the supply and F astened to the valverod 23 are a pair of collars 24 and 25 on which is slidably sup-. porteda thrust sleeve 26' formed with annular flanges 27 and 28 on its ends.Encircling the valve rod 23 between'collars 24; and 25 are a pairofcollars 29 and 30 non-rotatable on the valve rod by means of aninternal-key 31 (Fig. 6) occupying short slots 32in the rod to limit theinward sliding movements of said collars. Between the collars' 24,.and29 and encircling the valve rod is a compression spring 33; andsimilarlyencirchng the valve. rod between the collars 25 .and 30 is acompressionspring Fastened to the interior of the sleevel26 be tween the collars 29and 30 is a thrust collar 35 which, through thrust engagement with thecollars 29 and 30, acts to shift the'valve rod endwise by an elasticthrust transmitted rrawings, the valve casthrough one or the other ofthe compression shaft 37.

the vertical branch 11 of the valve casing is entered a threaded plug 36formed with a longitudinal bore to receive a vertical The inner end ofthe plug 36 is hollowed out and formed with an annular seat 38 for aspider 39 which latter is aper tured to form an additional bearing forthe shaft 37. Fast on the lower endof the shaft 37 is a hub 40 integralwith which are a pair of oppositely extending rocker arms 11, 42 (Fig.4), the outer ends of which arms are somewhat widened and formed withcam contact faces 13, 4a and, beyond the latter, with short lockingfaces 45, L6, that"are at right angles to radii of shaft 37. "V hen the'shaft'is turned in one direction, the cam face 13 slidin ly engageswith the sleeve flange 27 to shift the sleeve to the right, viewingFigs. 1 and 4-, and cause the valve to close the pressure inlet duct 17and simultaneously open the exhaust duct 18. 1V hen the shaft is rockedin the reverse direction, the cam face 44; similarly engages wita theopposite sleeve flange 28, and causes the valve to close the exhaustduct 18 and simultaneously open the pressure supply duct 17. In thefully turned position of the shaft and rocker arms, corresponding to thelimits of the valve movements, the locking faces as and 46 of the rockerarms are engaged with the sleeve flanges at points in the vertical planeof the longitudinal axes of the valve, thrust sleeve and vertical shaft,so that the valve is held locked in closed positionat one end and openposition at the other. The outer end of the valve plug 36 is reduced andequipped with a suitable stufiing box 47.

Attached to opposite sides of the vertical branch 11 of the valve casingare a pair of parallel plates 18 rigidly connected and spaced at theirupper ends by a cross strip 49 of fiber-board or other insulatingmaterial, and adjacent to their lower ends by a spacing sleeve 50 andbolt 50. The side plates near their upper end are apertured to formbearings for the armature 51 of a double-acting solenoid magnet, thespools 52 and 52 of said magnetbeing attached to the'side plate 48 as bylong screws 53 and clamp plates 53. l/Vith a view to cushioning thestrokes of the armature I preferably 'form in the ends of the latterchambers'or socket-s 54: to receive plungers 55 (Fig. 1), the screwthreaded stems 56 of which may be screwed through the clamp plates 53and secured in adjusted position by lock nuts 57 Each plunger has asliding fit in the cylinder 54 and is formed with a minute peripheralgroove 58 or other air vent. The upper side of the armature 5l is formedwith a transverse slot 59 (Fig. 2') one end of which isflared as shownat 59, and within the said slot is located the rounded free end. or knob60'of a rocker arm 61, thehub 62 of said arm being pinned or otherwisesecured on the upper end of the'valveactuating shaft 37. It is manifestthat with this construction the slidingmovements of the magnet armatureserve to rock the shaft 37 and, through the latter, actuate the valve;the flaring sides of the slot accommodating the swinging movements of.the arm.

' Connected into the horizontal branch or boss 12 of the valve casing isa pipe 63 (Fig. 3) communicating, through an elbow 64, with a verticalpipe 65, on the upper end of which latter is mounted a diaphragm casing66 containinga' diaphragm 67.. Rest ing on the center of the diaphragmis a vertically SllClZlblQ'I'OCl 68 guided in a vertical bearing 69 onthe upper side of the diaphragm casing. On one side of the bearingmember-69 is an apertured lug Z0 to which is pivoted the lower end of alink 71; and to the upper end of link 71 is pivoted one end of a lever72. The upper end ofthe rod 68 is forked'to straddle the lever 7 2 andis pivoted to the latter'at 73. On the lever 72 is an adjustable weight72, and thefree end of the lever 72 is connected, as usual, by a chainor other connection to a draft door or valve, damper, or otherregulatingmember or members of the article with which the device is used.

lVhere, as hereinshown, the valve is actuated through the agency of anelectromagnet, it is desirable, in order to avoid waste of current, tode-energize the'magnet the instant the armature has been shifted ineither direction; and inFigs. 1 and 5 I illustrate a simplethermostat-controlled circuit and magnet switch for doing this. On theinsulation board 49 are attached a pair of arcuate contact stripsTat'and 75,.the inner ends of which preferably extend slightly beyondeach other as shown to provide current for the magnet until the armaturehas fully thrown the arm 61 on rock-shaft'37. The rock-shaft 37 extendsupwardly above the level of the 'blate 19, and on the upper end thereofis fastened a switch arm 76, the free end portion of which is adapted tohave wiping contact with thestrips 74, 7-5. 77 designates a source ofcurrent, one. side of which is connected by a line 78 to the swiich 76,and the other sideof whichis connected by a line 79 to a thermostatswitch 80 which lies between and alternately engages wit! a pair ofcontacts 81, 82. Contact 81 is connected by a line 83 with one endof'the winding of magnet spool 52, and the other end of thewinding ofsaid magnet is connected by a line 84 with the Contact strip 75. Contact82 is connected by a line 85 with one end of the winding of magnet spool52, and the other end of said winding is connected by a line 86 with thecontact strip 7st.

In the full line position of switches '76 and 80 shown in Fig. 5, theswitch 76 has just been shifted from the dotted line position to thefull line position through. the closing of the thermostat switch at 80,81, this having energized the magnet spool 52 and shift-ed the valve tothe pressure shatofi' position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and at the sametime opened the circuit through spool 52 and thus de-energized themagnet, the valve being held in its closed position by the locking facea5 of the rocker arm ll (Fig. 4t). When the thermostat switch 80 swingsinto engagement with contact 82, magnet spool 52 is energized, whichshifts the valve to open the pressure duct and close the exhaust duct,and at the same time switch 7 6 is shifted to the dotted line positionindicated in Fig. 5 overlying contact strip 75, and thus tie-energizingthe magnet. At this time the locking face l6 of rocker arm a), throughengagement with the flange 28 of the thrust sleeve, locksthe valve inits shifted position.

It will thus be seen that the valve is atall times, except for theinstantaneous period of shifting, in a position cutting off either thepressure supply or the pressure exhaust, sothat only a very small amountof pressure fluid is used, and none is wasted.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be observed that the supply and exhaustpipes 15 and 16 are equlpped with regulating valves 87 and 88,respectively, preferably of the needle valve type .shown, by which,through the throttling effect of said valves onthe supply and exhaust ofthe pressure fluid, the period through which the motor operates eitherto raise or lower the lever 72 may be varied, so as to effect acomparatively quick movement, or a comparatively slow gradual movement,as desired.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my invention provides a simple,compact, sensitive and efficient thermostat-controlled valve mechanismfor admitting and exhausting pressure fluid to and from a diaphragm orother motor for actuating a regulating memher, which requires but asmall amount of fluid, actuates the supply and exhaust controlssimultaneously, and is of a structure permitting facile assembling anddisassembling of the parts. The valve member is ac-- tuated in bothdirections by an elastic thrust which insures full closing of the valveand a stored pressure on the latter to maintain it closed, as well asautomatically taking up wear between the valve and valve seat; and thedescribed actuating mechanism also includes means by which the valve issecurely locked in both positions against accidental. opening orclosing, making it unnecessary to maintain the actuating magnet of thevalve energized during the periods between successive movements of thevalve.

While I have herein shown and described one simple embodiment of theinvention. which satisfactorily eilectuates the stated purposes andobjects thereof, it is manifest that the specific details of structureand arrangement may be changed to a considerable extent withoutinvolving any departure from the principle of the invention orsacrificing any of its utilities and advantages. Hence, I reserve allsuch variations and modifications as fall within the spirit and purviewof the appended claims.

I claim 1. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination ofa valve casing formed with a chamber and pressure inlet and exhaustducts at opposite ends of said chamber respectively, a valve in saidchamber consisting of a rod formed with pointed ends adapted, underendwise movements of said rod, to close either of said ducts andsimultaneously open the other, spiders in said chamber in which said rodis slidably supported, a fluid pressure motor having a pipe connectionwith said chamber between said ducts, a magnet having its armaturelocated exteriorly of said chamber, and operating connections from thearmature of said magnet to said valve.

2. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination of a valvecasing formed with a chamber and pressure inlet and exhaust ducts atopposite ends of said chamber respectively, a valve rod slidably mountedin said chamber the ends of which rod are adapted to close either ofsaid ducts and simultaneously open the other, a fluid pressure motorhaving a pipe connection withsaid chamber between said ducts, a magnet,and operating connections, including a pair of oppositely acting thrustsprings in the train of mechanical action, between said magnet and saidvalve.

3. An electrically actuated valve mechanism for controlling the supplyand exhaust of pressure fluid to and from a diaphragm or the like,comprising, in combination, a tubular valve casing having pressure inletand exhaust ducts at its opposite ends respectively, a slidably mountedvalve rod in said casing the ends whereof are adapted to open and closesaid ducts, a sleeve slidably mounted on said valve rod, oppositelyacting spring thrust connections in the train of mechanical actionbetween said sleeve and said rod, a double-acting magnet, and meansactuated by the armature of said magnet for movingsaid sleeve endwise ineither direction.

4. A specific embodiment of the subjectmatter of claim 6, wherein theoppositely acting thrust Connections between said sleeve and said valverod include coil thrust springs Gii-CliClliEg said rod, fixed collars onsaid rod against which said springs abut at their outer ends, collarskeyed on said rod with capacity or" limited movement endwise of thelatter against which the inner ends of said springs abut, and a centralinternal collar on said sleeve adapted to thrustingly engage with saidlast-named collars.

5. In a device of the character described, an electrically actuatedvalve mechanism for controlling the supply and exhaust of pressure'lluid to and from a diaphragm or the like, comprising, in combination,a tubular valve casing having pressure inlet and exhaust ducts at itsopposite ends respectively, a slidably mounted valve rod in said casing;at its ends adapted to open and close said ducts, a vertically disposedrock shaft journaled in said casing, mechanism intermediate the lowerend of said rock shaft and said 'alve rod whereby the latter is movedendwise in opposite directions under opposite turning n'iovemcnts ofsaid rock shaft, a double-acting solenoid magnet, and means actuated bythe armature of said magnet for effecting opposite turning movements ofsaid rock shaft.

6. A specific embodiment of claim 5 wherein the mechanism intermediatethe lower end of the rock shaft and the valve rod comprises a sleeve onand in thrust engagement with said valve'rod and having radial flangesat its ends, and a pair of op positely extending rocker arms on thelower end of said rocl: shait formed with cams adapted to alt rnatelyengage with said flanges and shift said sleeve in opposite direct-ionsrespectively.

7. A specific embodiment of claim 5 wherein the mechanism intermediatethe lower end of the rocl: shaft and the valve rod comprises a sleeve onand in thrust engagement with said valve rod and having radial flangesat its ends, and pair of oppositely extending rocker arms on the lowerend of said rock shaft formed with cams adapted to alternately engagewith said flanges and with squared portions adapted in cooperation withsaid flanges to lock the sleeve in shifted position.

8. A specific form of claim 5 wherein the means actuated by the armatureof the magnet for effecting turning movements of the rock shaftcomprises an arm fast on said rock shaft with its free end lying in andcrosswise ot a flaring transverse slot in the armature of the magnet.

MARK DEAN.

